Athletics: Jamaican sprinters electrified the Reebok grand prix in New York yesterday with Usain Bolt setting a new 100 metres world record and Veronica Campbell-Brown posting the fastest time of the year in the women's event.
However, there was disappointment for China's world record
holder and Olympic champion Liu Xiang, who had to withdraw from the
110m hurdles due to a tight hamstring.
The 21-year-old Bolt announced he is a genuine force in track
and field's Blue Riband event by streaking home in a time of 9.72
seconds, breaking the previous record of 9.74 posted by compatriot
Asafa Powell last September.
Bolt, world championship silver medalist in the 200, exploded
off the starting line to get an early jump on world champion Tyson
Gay and left the American second in 9.85.
"I had the idea that I could run the world record," Bolt said
after his stunning win. "I was pretty confident coming in here.
"I wasn't looking for a world record but it came to me today
and I'll take it."
Bolt's brilliant performance crowned a great night for
Jamaica as world champion Campbell-Brown ran the fastest women's
100 of the year, winning her event in 10.91 seconds, two-hundredths
of a second faster than American Allyson Felix's 2008 best.
American Jenn Stuczynski had three tries at setting a women's
pole vault record but could not get over the bar set at 5.02
metres, winning the event at 4.80.
But the night belonged to Bolt, who waited out an hour's
delay to the start of the meet due to the threat of a thunderstorm,
and a 45-minute suspension during the meet forced by thunder and
lightning in the area.
Once the air cleared, Bolt struck.
At 1.96m tall Bolt has struggled with his start, but he timed
this one beautifully after another runner's false start, breaking
out ahead of Gay and was never threatened.
"I was glad for the first false start," Bolt said. "My first
start wasn't that good. I knew if I got Tyson on the start I'd get
him.
"My coach said concentrate on the drive phase and that's what
I did."
Earlier this month, Bolt had stunned the athletics world by
running 9.76 in Jamaica, the second fastest time registered and
only his third competitive race over the distance.
Gay was gracious in defeat.
"This is definitely great for the sport," he said. "Obviously
I have some work to do. Right now, it's hats off to Bolt. Today was
his day."
Other top performances included world championship bronze
medalist Wallace Spearmon winning the men's 200 in 20.07 seconds,
and Paul Koech of Kenya recording the fastest 3,000 steeplechase on
US soil with a time of 8:01.85